Sometimes
you strike gold where you least expect it. And, if you’re
a dark ride afficionado, you’ll want to stake a claim at Salem,
New Hampshire’s Canobie Park, host to the impressive “The
Mine of Lost Souls.” Not
only does this contemporary dark ride pay tribute to the classic
rides of old; it’s a tribute to the perseverance of the owners
and maintenance staff of Canobie Lake Park.
Shortly after it debuted in 1985 as the “Haunted Mine,” failing
stunts plagued the ride. Rather than throw in the towel, Canobie
threw in cash, commissioning Florida’s Sally Corporation to
rework the ride from beginning to end in 1992.

The
final product combines humor, suspense,the macabre and little quirkiness
- all adding up to a unique and enjoyable experience for contemporary
and classic dark ride fans alike.

Just
the fact the ride exists says a lot for the park. It’s one of
three dark rides left in New England, a region that was once
a mecca for these attractions. In fact, Canobie had just leveled
its aging Pretzel ride, the “Swamp” (read “The
Funhouses and Dark Rides of Canobie Lake” article on this
site) when it broke ground for a new dark ride. As Operations
Director Tom Morrow recalls, park officials saw a trade

publication ad placed by a New Jersey-based ride designer, and
hired him to design the Lost Mine.The park staff constructed
the building and façade, purchasing cars resembling mining carts,
as well as the track system, from the former Italy-based SDC,
which made the Galaxi coasters and is now S&MC GmbH Structures
and Machines in Germany. Among the stunts were a Pirate ship
in a water basin, and a collapsing mine shaft.

“After
a while, some tricks didn’t work, recalls Mr. Morrow. “It got to the
point that it fell below the high standards we’ve established for our
amusements. It was time for a change.” So park officials turned to Sally
Corporation. A representative toured the ride and assessed the situation-at-hand.
“Before he drew up plans and a story line, he offered us three options:
(A) being a children’s ride, (B) being a middle of the road ride, and
(C) being a gory ride. We took B. I’d say it’s about the fourth most
popular ride in the park. We made a wise decision to upgrade it in 1992”.
Adds ride mechanic John Reed: “ I really enjoy maintaining this ride.
It’s very rewarding, especially when I see all the people lining up
to ride it and the various looks on their faces when they disembark.”

Hence,
the “The Mine of Lost Souls” was conceived. Sally Corporation’s plan
was not to gut the entire ride but to incorporate some of the existing
stunts and scenery into the story line. However, Sally added many of
its distinctive animated figures and special effects to put a completely
different spin on the ride.

Today,
the ride stays true to Sally’s 1992 story line: An exploration
into an 1880 mine in which you encounter “trapped souls for
all ages in time.” Or, to paraphrase the animated figure in
the façade window, Jeremiah Jones - two boys from Salem, Bobby
and Billy Hollander discovered gold in the cave early in 1891.
That same summer the Policy

Mine Company began mining gold. The two boys later disappeared and haven’t
been heard from since. “Tell you what, you go take the ride and let
me know what you find. If you don’t come back, well, I’ll know there’s
truth to the tale, won’t I?” Jeremiah asks with a sheepish grin.
In essence, your trip back in time to this 19th century mining project
eventually brings you face-to-face with the Grim Reaper who opens a
portal into a Pharaoh’s tomb. The common link - lost souls. Sound like
fun? Take the ride and see for yourself.